“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.”
(John 10:17)
In God’s unfolding plan of redemption, He ordained His Son as the one and only Mediator between Himself and His people (1 Timothy 2:5). This truth was affirmed by significant events like His baptism and transfiguration, which not only demonstrate His position as our Redeemer but also publicly distinguish Him from highly revered prophets like Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6).
Christ as Divine Mediator is the essential element to our redemption, for apart from His mediatory work mankind could not be reconciled to God. A righteous God could not forgive sin without His justice being satisfied by a sufficient sacrifice. A perfectly sinless “go-between” was required before the relationship between the Creator and the created could be restored.
Central to understanding Christ’s mediatory role is acknowledging His distinctive dignity as the Son of God, one of the three Persons of the Godhead. He was God incarnate, divinity assuming a human form with a unique dual nature essential for a Mediator who could intimately relate to humanity while possessing the divine authority to act on our behalf.
John 10:17 declares the immeasurable depths of the Father’s love for Christ, both as His beloved Son and as the Savior of his people. This divine affection is foundational to His role in salvation, for God entrusted His Son with all authority for our redemption. Therefore, Christ, as the beloved, is perfectly positioned to demonstrate God’s immense love for sinners in that He willingly offered Himself as the ultimate expression of the Father’s love.
The Father’s pleasure in Christ is not just because of who He is, but also because He fulfilled the will of the Father to the letter. Through His mediatory work Christ executed God’s plan for man’s salvation perfectly. And in so doing, He reconciled God’s elect to Himself. This completed work demonstrates the perfect alignment of God the Son’s mission with God the Father’s will, ensuring the efficacy of His atonement on our behalf.
Christ executes His mediatory role through three offices: as King ruling over God’s kingdom, as Priest offering a sacrifice for sin, and as Prophet teaching the way of salvation. These roles encapsulate the full scope of His work—redeeming, instructing, and leading humanity into righteousness. Scripture frequently alludes to these offices, presenting Christ as the embodiment of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.[1]
Contemplations:
- Christ’s Divine Dual Nature: As I reflect on Christ’s role as Mediator, I am struck by the distinctive union of His divine and human natures into one. This unique position allows Him to connect us to God in a way no one else could.
- Beloved of the Father: John 10:17 speaks volumes about the nature of God’s love for His Son. In meditating on this, I find comfort in knowing that the same love extended to Christ is available to us through Him, allowing us to demonstrate that same love to others.
- Well-Pleasing to God: Knowing that Christ completely fulfilled God’s design and terms for salvation reassures me of the perfect sufficiency of His sacrifice. It reminds me that in Christ we are made acceptable to God, not by our merits but by His grace.
- Hear Him: The call to “hear Him” (Matthew 3:17) is an invitation to embrace Christ’s teachings as the ultimate guide to life and salvation. It challenges me to consider how well I listen to and live out the truths He has revealed, recognizing Him as the way, the truth, and the life.
Further References for John 10:17:
John 10:11; Isa. 53:7; Heb. 2:9; Matt. 26:53
[1] Thomas Manton, Christs Temptation and Transfiguration (London printed: s.n, 1685), 158.
